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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · rest · ground · toast · spell · saw · ruler · board

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — bread
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ground — the earth
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. board — a committee
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. ground — a position
  23. rest — a break
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com